Dodgers Strike Late to Dump Marlins 11-6

Tot Holmes

08/20/2005

Hee-Seop Choi was a home runs short of completing the cycle with three RBI and Ricky Ledee shook off a tender hamstring to also knock in three runs. The Dodger bullpen stepped forward again when they were needed to craft four scoreless innings and Los Angeles earned an 11-6 victory in Florida with six unanswered runs over the final three innings erasing a one-run deficit.

The Dodgers wracked up an even dozen hits, including three doubles, two triples and a home run, and all eight of the starters came up with a hit during the victory. The firepower was needed to overcome a tough start by Brad Penny.

After a solid complete-game victory over the New York Mets in his last outing, Brad Penny pitched like Bad Penny, staggering through five innings and allowing six runs on five hits. He left the game trailing 6-5.

Half of the Dodger hits and six of their runs came in innings 7-8-9.

Penny walked a pair and gave up a home run to Miguel Cabrera in the first inning, making it look like a long night.

Los Angeles scored twice in the second on Dioner Navarro' first major league double, good for two runs, and they took a 4-3 lead in the third when Oscar Robles singled, Choi tripled him home and then scored on a long fly by Jayson Werth.

The Marlins tied in the third and went on top with another single run in the fourth.

Choi doubled in the fifth and eventually scored on Ledee's fly in the fifth to knot things at five each but Penny served up a home run ball to Carlos Delgado in the bottom of the inning to give the Marlins' their final lead of the game.

Elmer Dessens (1-1) worked a scoreless sixth and the Dodgers made him a winner with a three-run outburst in the seventh. Choi, who was 3-for-3 on the evening, was hit by a pitch. Milton Bradley beat out an infield hit and Jeff Kent tied the game with a double.

Ledee was walked intentionally and Werth worked a walk to force in the lead run. Jose Valentin's single made it 8-6.

Dessens got the first two outs in the seventh, Steve Schmoll came in to walk the only batter he faced and Giovanni Carrara closed the inning out without a run.

Robles, playing shortstop for the slumping Cesar Izturis, tripled with one out in the eighth and scored on the ubiquitous Choi's sac fly. Carrara had a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth and the Dodgers added two more in the top of the ninth on Kent's single and Ledee's seventh home run.

Manager Jim Tracy gave Yhency Brazoban the ball in the ninth with a five run lead, hoping a pressureless ninth would help his psyche. But the rookie righthander gave up a couple singles and a walk and Duaner Sanchez was called upon with one out. He needed only four pitches to work a double play ball to end the game and earn his third save in the last five games.

San Diego beat Atlanta for the second night in a row and the Dodgers remained five games behind the Padres.

Jackson Returns-- The 21-year-old Edwin Jackson will be recalled from Jacksonville to start for the Dodgers in place of the injured Odalis Perez Monday in the final game of the Marlins series. Jackson got off to a horrendous start at Las Vegas recording a 3-7, 8.68 record and was dropped back to Jacksonville June 16. Under the watchful eye of Suns pitching coach Kenny Howell, Jackson suddenly has turned his career around and was the Southern League Pitcher of the Week last week.

Dodger Blue Notes-- Cesar Izturis, who was hitting .345 on June 1, has slipped to .259 and was given the night off Saturday. …Antonio Perez was on the back end of a double steal with Jayson Werth in the second inning of Friday's loss, giving Perez 10 steals to lead the club. Since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, the lowest total to lead the team in steals was Kirk Gibson's 12 in 1989. As a team, the Dodgers currently have 47. The lowest club total since 1958 was 56 in 1967. ... The Dodgers were shut out for the eighth time this season and fourth time since the All-Star break. They suffered 12 shutouts last year. ... The Dodgers outhit the Marlins, 6-4, on Friday. It was their 15th loss of the year when they've outhit the opponent. …D.J. Houlton is 0-6 in seven starts since June 27, but his teammates have scored only eight runs in his seven losses this year. …Derek Lowe starts for the Dodgers Sunday opposite Florida rookie Jason Vargas. Lowe is 3-1 lifetime against Florida and has not lost a road game since June 20 in San Diego.